Top takeaways from the bombshell AG report

Crombie's big speech

ABOVE THE FOLD

Auditor General SHELLEY SPENCE dropped an explosive report and BONNIE CROMBIE veered centre in a candid speech and rallied the Liberal troops, to the tune of more than $1 million.

AG REPORT — Bad ads, bids, MZOs and loads more in the annual report from the Auditor General, which lays out a broader pattern of this government’s failure to properly plan. Here’s what you need to know:

— On advertising: The Ford government smashed a new record and forked out three times as much cash on advertising in the last year, most of which was overtly partisan.

Nudge, nudge: Government ad spending tends to increase in the run-up to an election, which the PCs have not ruled out for early next year.

By the numbers: In the last fiscal year, the PCs spent an eye-popping $103.5 million on ads, including splashy campaigns like the “It’s Happening Here” ads that ran during the Super Bowl and NHL games.

Half of the top 10 ad campaigns would not have passed muster with the AG under her old overs…